Acne

Acne, is also known as Acne Vulgaris, and is one of the most common skin diseases in the world. It is mostly seen in people aged 15-25 years of age, and consists of skin conditions like; pimples, lumps, white heads, black heads etc. They commonly occur in areas surrounding the face, neck, back and chest, and almost 85% of the population faces these skin eruptions once in their life time.

What is Acne? Acne is characterized by redness and inflammation, due to clogging of the pores present over the skin. It is not contagious in nature, and occurs due to excessive secretion by the sebaceous glands. Acne affects all races, ages, and genders, and is a cosmetic concern for many.  

Causes of Acne           
Genetic Causes:  It has been found through many researches that, people with family history of acne, are more likely to suffer from acne.           

Hormonal Influence: It has been found that, during puberty, hormonal imbalances results in excessive secretion of oil. This attracts dust, and thus clogs pores, resulting in development of outbreaks in skin, commonly known as acne.           

Prescribed Medications:  Medications containing lithium, androgens anabolic steroids, or barbiturates, causes increased secretion of oil and thus development of acne.            

Oil Based Cosmetics: Some cosmetics are known to cause clogging of skin pores, and thereby making the germs to infect the skin.      

Stress:  This results in increased activity of adrenal glands and thus causing skin eruptions.        

Humidity and Environmental Pollutants: Humidity and environmental pollutants are breeding grounds for germs. The environmental pollutants in the form of dust, sticks on the surface of skin and thereby causes skin eruptions.  

Symptoms of Acne: Comedomes (Black Heads And White Heads):  These occur when opening of a hair follicle becomes clogged. When the comedomes are open at the skin surface, these are known as Black Heads, and when these are closed at skin surface, these are termed as White Heads.